Dola ya Kiislamu ilipanuka sana, ikafikia China upande wa Mashariki na Andalusi upande wa Magharibi, na ikajumuisha chini ya mrengo wake mataifa ya asili mbalimbali na lugha nyingi.

The Islamic State expanded greatly, reaching China in the East and Andalus in the West and it incorporated under its wings nations from a variety of origins and a number of languages.

Ili kuendeleza mambo ya dola hii ilikuwa ni lazima kuwa na sheria zilizotokana na Uislamu, kutoka katika Qur'ani, Sunnah na vyanzo vingine ambavyo Wahyi ulivyoongoza kuvielekea, ili kushughulikia matatizo yaliyo ya dharura na yale yaliyojitokeza hivi karibuni. Kwa hiyo Waislamu walirejea kwenye vyanzo hivyo; watawala, majaji, makundi na watu binafsi, kwa kukabiliana na hitaji hili la dharura. Kwa sababu hiyo, Wanazuoni wa Kiislamu walijitosa katika karne ya pili ya Hijria, wakifanya juhudi za kuchambua na kutoa hukumu kutoka katika matini za Shari'ah ya Kiislamu ili kushughulikia matatizo na maslahi yote yaliyojitokeza.

In order to foster the affairs of this State it was essential to have laws which were derived from Islaam, from the Qur’aan, the Sunnah and from other sources that the Wahi had guided to, in order to treat the pressing and newly occurring problems. So the Muslims referred back to them; the rulers, judges, groups and individuals, in response to this pressing need. Consequently, the Muslim ‘Ulamaa went forth in the second Hijri century expending their efforts to deduce and extract rulings from the Islamic Shar’iyah texts to treat all the problems and interests that arose.

Vipaji na ijtihadi za baadhi ya wanazuoni zilidhihirika zaidi kuliko za wengine, kama zile za Madhehebu manne ya Fiqhi: Abu Haneefah, Ash-Shaafi'iy, Al-Hanbaliy na Al-Maalikiy. Wengine waliojitokeza ni pamoja na Sufyaan Ath-Thawriy, Al-Awzaa'iy na Al-Hasan Al-Basriy, miongoni mwa wengine.

The talents and Ijtihaadaat of some of the ‘Ulamaa shone out above some of the others like those of the four Madhaahib (Schools of Fiqh): Abu Haneefah, Ash-Shaafi’iy, Al-Hanbaliy and Al-Maalikiy. Others who stood out included Sufyaan Ath-Thawriy, Al-Awzaa’iy and Al-Hasan Al-Basriy amongst others.

Hawa walikuwa na msimamo kuhusu Usūl al-Fiqh ulioanzishwa na Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi'iy.

These held a position in respect to Usool ul-Fiqh that was started by Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi’iy.

Wafuasi (Ashaab) wa Ash-Shaafi'iy walifafanua Risaalah yake katika Usool ul-Fiqh na kuweka wazi yaliyomo ndani yake. Miongoni mwao walikuwepo watu kama Abu Bakr Muhammad Ash-Shaibaaniy An-Naisaabooriy, Muhammad Ibn 'Ali Al-Qaffaal Al-Kabeer Ash-Shaashiy, na As-Seerify, pamoja na wengineo.

The followers (Ashaab) of Ash-Shaafi’iy explained his Risaalah in Usool ul-Fiqh and clarified what came in it. These included the like of Abu Bakr Muhammad Ash-Shaibaaniy An-Naisaabooriy, Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Al-Qaffaal Al-Kabeer Ash-Shaashiy and As-Seerify amongst others.

Kuhusu Maswahaba (wafuasi) wa Imaam Abu Haneefah, wao walitoa na kuweka msingi wa Usul kwa Fiqh yao, na wakaongeza kwenye Adillah Al-Ijmaaliyah (Al-Istihsaan na Al-‘Urf) kutoka kwenye Adillah nne za Ash-Shaafi’iy (Qur'aan, Sunnah, Qiyaas na Ijmaa'). Miongoni mwa vitabu vyao vya mwanzo katika Usul ul-Fiqh ni: 'Risaalah ya Al-Kharkhiy katika Usul' iliyoandikwa na Abu-l-Hasan 'Ubaidullah Bin Al-Hasan Al-Kharkhiy, aliyefariki mwaka 340 AH. Kisha kulikuwa na Usul ya Al-Jassaas, aliyefariki mwaka 370 AH. Mbinu hii au mwelekeo huu katika kuweka Usul ul-Fiqh ulitofautiana na mbinu aliyoitumia Imaam Ash-Shaafi’iy. Kwa upande wa Maalikiyah, waliofuata Tareeqah (mbinu) ya Ash-Shaafi’iy katika kuweka Usul ul-Fiqh, waliongeza 'Ijmaa' ya Ahl-ul-Madinah' kwenye Adillah nne za Ijmaaliyyah ambazo walikuwa wameichukua kutoka kwa Imaam Maalik na ambazo Ash-Shaafi’iy alizikosoa. Pia walichukua 'Al-Istihsaan' na 'Al Masaalih Al-Mursalah', ambazo ni mambo mawili ambayo Ash-Shaafi’iy alijaribu kuyabatilisha. Pia waliongeza kwa kupanua eneo la 'Adh-Dharaa’i' (visababu/visingizio).

As for the Ashaab (followers) of Al-Imaam Abu Haneefah, then they provided and set down an Usool for their Fiqh and they added to the Adillah Al-Ijmaaliyah (Al-Itihsaan and Al-‘Urf) from the four Adillah of Ash-Shaafi’iy (Al-Qur’aan, As-Sunnah, Al-Qiyaas and Al-Ijmaa’). From the earliest of their books in Usool ul-Fiqh were: The ‘Risaalah of Al-Kharkhiy in Usool’ authored by Abu-l-Hasan ‘Ubaidullah Bin Al-Hasan Al-Kharkhiy who passed away in the year 340 Ah. Then there was the Usool of Al-Jassaas who passed away in the year 370 AH. This method or methodology in respect to putting down Usool ul-Fiqh differed from the methodology employed by Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi’iy As for the Maalikiyah, who followed the Tareeqah (methodology) of Ash-Shaafi’iy in terms of putting down Usool ul-Fiqh, then they added the ‘Ijmaa’ of Ahl-ul-Madinah’ to the four Adillah Al Ijmaaliyyah which they had adopted from Imaam Maalik and which Ash-Shaafi’iy had criticised. They also took ‘Al-Istihsaan’ and ‘Al Masaalih Al-Mursalah’ which represent two matters which Ash Shaafi’iy had attempted to invalidate. They also added by expanding in the area of ‘Adh-Dharaa’i’ (pretexts/excuses).

Wafuasi wa Al-Imaam Maalik walifuata mbinu ileile ya Al-Imaam Ash-Shaaf'iy katika kuwasilisha na kuishughulikia Usool ul Fiqh. Miongoni mwa vitabu vyao (vinavyojulikana) ni 'At-Ta'reef Wa-l Irshaad Fee Tarteeb Turuq Al-Ijtihaad' kilichoandikwa na Al-Qaadiy Abu Bakr Muhammad Bin At-Tayyib Al-Baaqalaaniy, aliyefariki mwaka 403 AH.

The followers of Al-Imaam Maalik followed the same methodology as Al-Imaam Ash-Shaaf’iy in presenting and approaching Usool ul Fiqh. From amongst their (well known) books was: ‘At-Ta’reef Wa-l Irshaad Fee Tarteeb Turuq Al-Ijtihaad’ written by Al-Qaadiy Abu Bakr Muhammad Bin At-Tayyib Al-Baaqalaaniy who passed away in the year 403 AH.

Kuhusu wafuasi wa Al-Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Al-Imaam Ahmad mwenyewe aliwatosha kwa kuandika katika elimu ya Usuli ul-Fiqh. Baada ya Ash-Shaafi'iy, alitunga kitabu: 'Taa'at Ar Rasool', kitabu: 'An-Naasikh Wa-l-Mansookh' na kitabu: 'Al Ilal', yote yakihusiana na Usuli ul-Fiqh. Wao (wafuasi wa madhehebu) walichukua yale ambayo Ash-Shaafi'iy alikuwa ameyachukua, isipokuwa hawakuona Ijmaa' (kuwa sahihi) isipokuwa Ijmaa' ya Maswahaba, ilhali Ash-Shaafi'iy alikuwa amekubali Ijmaa' ya Mujtahidi wa Umma wa Kiislamu katika zama miongoni mwa zama baada ya Nabii ﷺ. Baada ya Al-Imaam Ahmad, walikuwepo wale waliochukua Ijmaa' ya Mujtahidi wa Umma, kama Al-Imaam Muwaffaq ud-Deen bin Ahmad bin Qudaamah Al-Maqdisiy, aliyefariki mwaka 630 AH, jambo lililoelezwa katika kitabu chake: 'Raudat un-Naazhir Wa Jannat ul-Manaazhir Fee Usool ul-Fiqh'.

As for the followers of Al-Imaam Ahmad Bin Hanbal, then Al Imaam Ahmad himself, sufficed them by writing in the ‘Ilm of Usool ul-Fiqh. So after Ash-Shaafi’iy he authored the book: ‘Taa’at Ar Rasool’, the book: ‘An-Naasikh Wa-l-Mansookh’ and the book: ‘Al Ilal’ all of which were related to Usool ul-Fiqh. They (the followers of the Madh’hab) took what Ash-Shaafi’iy had taken except they did not view an Ijmaa’ (to be valid) apart from the Ijmaa’ As-Sahaabah whilst Ash-Shaafi’iy had accepted the Ijmaa’ of the Mujtahideen of the Islamic Ummah in an era from the eras after the Nabi (saw). After Al-Imaam Ahmad there were those who did take the Ijmaa’ of the Mujtahideen of the Ummah like Al-Imaam Muwwafiq ud –Deen Bin Ahmad Bin Qudaamah Al-Maqdasiy who passed away in the year 630 AH which was expressed in his book: ‘Raudat un-Naazhir Wa Jannat ul-Manaazhir Fee Usool ul-Fiqh’.

Kuhusu Madhhab ya Adh-Dhaahiriy, wafuasi wake walikataa Qiyaas na hawakuchukua isipokuwa kwa matini (maandishi ya moja kwa moja). Miongoni mwao ni Imaam Daawud bin Khalaf Al-Asfahaaniy, ambaye alipewa jina la ‘Adh-Dhaahiriy’ kutokana na kuchukua kile kilichodhihiri katika matini, na alifuata mbinu hiyo hiyo kama Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi.

As for the Zhaahiriy Madh’hab then its adherents rejected Qiyaas and did not take except by the text. There Imaam Daawud Bin Khalaf Al Asfahaaniy who was given the title of ‘Azh-Zhaahiriy’ due to his taking from what was apparent in the text and he proceeded upon the same methodology as Ibn Hazm Al-Andalusi.

Kwa upande wa Shi'ah Al-Imaamiyah, ambao wanafuata Madh'hab ya Imaam Ja'far As-Saadiq, wao pia walikataa kuchukua hoja kwa njia ya Qiyaas (yaani kuitumia kama chanzo), kama vile walivyokataa Hadiyth Sahih zilizopingana na mtazamo wao kuhusu Khilafah. Pia walifungamanisha Istinbaat ya Kifiqhi (uchambuzi wa hukumu) ndani ya Istinbaat ya Maimamu wao peke yao (au walizuia hivyo).

As for the Shi’ah Al-Imaamiyah who follow the Madh’hab of Al Imaam Ja’far As-Saadiq, then they also rejected taking by way of Qiyaas (i.e. using it as a source) just as they rejected the Saheeh Ahaadeeth that opposed their view in relation to the Khilafah. They also specified the Fiqhiy Istinbaat (deduction) within the Istinbaat of their A’immah (Imaams) alone. (or restricted)

Inaweza kuonekana kwamba wanazuoni (Ulamaa) wa Madhehebu manne na wengineo zaidi yao walifuata njia mbili (au mbinu mbili) kuhusiana na Usuli wa Fiqhi. Njia hizi ni: Mbinu ya Ash-Shaafi'iy na mbinu ya wafuasi au masahaba wa Imamu Abu Haneefah. Njia hizi kwa upande wake zimeitwa Tariqah (mbinu) ya Mutakallimeen na Tariqah ya Fuqahaa'.

It can be observed that the ‘Ulamaa’ of the four Madhaahib and others besides them followed two paths (or methodologies) in respect to Usool ul-Fiqh. These are: The method of Ash-Shaafi’iy and the methodology of the followers or companions of Al-Imaam Abu Haneefah. These have in turn been called the Tareeqah (method) of the Mutakallimeen and the Tareeqah of the Fuqahaa’.